The 1st century AD fresco from the Casa della Saffo in Pompeii depicts the mythological story of Perseus and Andromeda.
In the story, Andromeda was a beautiful princess who was chained to a rock and left to be sacrificed to a sea monster as a punishment for her mother’s boasting about her beauty.
Perseus, who had just defeated the Gorgon Medusa, came upon Andromeda and fell in love with her. He offered to slay the sea monster in exchange for her hand in marriage. Andromeda’s parents (King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia) agreed, and Perseus used Medusa’s head to turn the monster into stone, thus saving Andromeda and winning her heart.
The fresco captures the moment of their union, with Perseus standing tall and victorious while Andromeda looks up at him with admiration and gratitude.
